If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Probably should not have drawn a line, if we had no intention of backing it up.

What do you think should be done Marc?

Israel has struck twice without consulting or informing the Whitehouse.
Is this not worthy of discussion?

I have NO IDEA of what transpires behind the scenes here. I would hope that very few people do. I am quite leery of the "news" media. For that reason I can't tell you what should be done. I will state that Im glad that we arent directly involved yet. I think that GW's "Cowboy Diplomacy" in starting two unwinnable wars was a failure, both strategically and on the battlefield. I see no purpose in a third war at this point.
Do you advocate us starting another war?
Apparently you feel that you do know all the details which is why I asked you.
So tell us how do you KNOW that Isreal acted without consulting or informing the White House?

I have NO IDEA of what transpires behind the scenes here. I would hope that very few people do. I am quite leery of the "news" media. For that reason I can't tell you what should be done. I will state that Im glad that we arent directly involved yet. I think that GW's "Cowboy Diplomacy" in starting two unwinnable wars was a failure, both strategically and on the battlefield. I see no purpose in a third war at this point.
Do you advocate us starting another war?
Apparently you feel that you do know all the details which is why I asked you. So tell us how do you KNOW that Isreal acted without consulting or informing the White House?
I believe I answered your questions, so please return the favor

Because US Intellgience Officials said so.

No early warning for U.S. on Israeli strikes in Syria
Sun, May 5 2013
WASHINGTON | Sun May 5, 2013 7:45pm EDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States was not given any warning before air strikes in Syria against what Western and Israeli officials say were weapons headed for Hezbollah militants, a U.S. intelligence official said on Sunday.

Without confirming that Israel was behind the attacks, the intelligence official said that the United States was essentially told of the air raids "after the fact" and was notified as the bombs went off.

Israeli jets bombed Syria on Sunday for the second time in 48 hours. Israel does not confirm such missions explicitly - a policy it says is intended to avoid provoking reprisals. But an Israeli official acknowledged that the strikes were carried out by its forces.

"It would not be unusual for them to take aggressive steps when there was some chance that some sophisticated weapons system would fall into the hands of people like Hezbollah," the U.S. intelligence official told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity.

While the air raids raised fears that America's main ally in the Middle East could be sucked into the Syrian conflict, Israel typically does not feel it has to ask for a green light from Washington for such attacks.

Officials have indicated in the past that Israel sees a need only to inform the United States once such a mission is under way.
U.S. President Barack Obama said on Saturday that Israel has the right to guard against the transfer of advanced weapons to Hezbollah, an ally of both Syria and Iran.

Rather than an attempt to tip the scales against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Israel's action is seen more as part of its own conflict with Iran, which it fears is sending missiles to Hezbollah in Lebanon through Syria. Those missiles might hit Tel Aviv if Israel makes good on threats to attack Tehran's nuclear program.

Another Western intelligence source told Reuters the latest attack, like the previous one, was directed against stores of Fateh-110 missiles in transit from Iran to Hezbollah.

People were woken in the Syrian capital by explosions that shook the ground like an earthquake and sent pillars of flames high into the night sky. Syrian state television said bombing at a military research facility at Jamraya and two other sites caused "many civilian casualties and widespread damage," but it gave no details. The Jamraya compound was also a target for Israel on January 30.

The U.S. intelligence official said additional strikes in the future could not be ruled out.

"Any sophisticated weaponry that finds its way there (Syria)that looks to be destined to fall in the hands of bad actors, I think there is a likelihood that those could be targets as well," the second official said.

ADDED PRESSURE

Obama has repeatedly shied away from deep U.S. involvement in the Syrian conflict, which erupted in 2011 and has killed an estimated 70,000 people and created more than 1.2 million refugees.

Hours after the Israeli attacks, several U.S. lawmakers voiced concern over the mounting uncertainty in the Middle East.

Influential Republican lawmaker John McCain said Israel's air strikes on Syria could add pressure on the Obama administration to intervene, but the U.S. government faces tough questions on how it can help without adding to the conflict.

"We need to have a game-changing action, and that is no American boots on the ground, establish a safe zone and to protect it and to supply weapons to the right people in Syria who are fighting, obviously, for the things we believe," McCain said on "Fox News Sunday."

"Every day that goes by, Hezbollah increases their influence and the radical jihadists flow into Syria and the situation becomes more and more tenuous," he said.

U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said last week that Washington was rethinking its opposition to arming the Syrian rebels. He cautioned that giving weapons to the forces fighting Assad was only one option, which carried the risk of arms finding their way into the hands of anti-American extremists among the insurgents.

The United States has said it has "varying degrees of confidence" that chemical weapons have been used in Syria on a limited scale, but is seeking more evidence to determine who used them, how they were used and when.

I believe that Israel acted because arms from Iran were moved close to their northern border. I don't think Israel hems and haws when their country's safety is in jeopardy. Whether Israel informed Obama or not is of no consequence. They might have, but they didn't have to advise the US. Obama's disappearing red line has told the world his word is questionable. I doubt if Israel thought the US had their back. Remember Bengazi.

I have NO IDEA of what transpires. I think that GW's "Cowboy Diplomacy" in starting two unwinnable wars was a failure, both strategically and on the battlefield. I see no purpose in a third war at this point.

I truly do not think anyone other than Israel has any idea what caused them to strike and I am pretty darn sure it had to do with their national security. They don't play or bargain, or talk, they just act to ensure their people are kept as safe as possible. Unlike our current Chatty Kathy administration.

As for GW's two wars. I guess the twin towers, the field in PA and the pentagon happened a long time ago therefore it should be forgotten. What's the point anyways. You may not like GW but how many terrorist attacks happened on US soil while he was President. Thats right he took the war to them, not sit back and lob a couple cruise missiles and call it a day like, can't keep his pants up Clinton, did.

If Clinton had acted while he was in office in a swift, unmistakable way and removed the head of the fools when they attacked the Cole, or the embassies in Africa or a number of other incidences GW would not have had to come out shooting. Instead Clintons foreign policy was a shambles because he failed to keep his pants up. This gave the world the opinion he was only acting to shift the focus off his personal problems.

Is is obvious a certain amount of Americans no longer have the stomach to protect their freedom. Surprise, freedom is not cheap and sometimes it cost lives. That Sir is the price of freedom. The price our hero's willing face everyday so arm chair quarterbacks can sit in the comfort of their house and make statements like you did.

I truly do not think anyone other than Israel has any idea what caused them to strike and I am pretty darn sure it had to do with their national security. They don't play or bargain, or talk, they just act to ensure their people are kept as safe as possible. Unlike our current Chatty Kathy administration.

As for GW's two wars. I guess the twin towers, the field in PA and the pentagon happened a long time ago therefore it should be forgotten. What's the point anyways. You may not like GW but how many terrorist attacks happened on US soil while he was President. Thats right he took the war to them, not sit back and lob a couple cruise missiles and call it a day like, can't keep his pants up Clinton, did.

If Clinton had acted while he was in office in a swift, unmistakable way and removed the head of the fools when they attacked the Cole, or the embassies in Africa or a number of other incidences GW would not have had to come out shooting. Instead Clintons foreign policy was a shambles because he failed to keep his pants up. This gave the world the opinion he was only acting to shift the focus off his personal problems.

Is is obvious a certain amount of Americans no longer have the stomach to protect their freedom. Surprise, freedom is not cheap and sometimes it cost lives. That Sir is the price of freedom. The price our hero's willing face everyday so arm chair quarterbacks can sit in the comfort of their house and make statements like you did.

Done with my rant

Richard

Maybe you could explain to us what invading Iraq had to do with the attack on the Twin Towers? I seem to remember the GW Administration selling the American pblic on some faulty intelligence about WMD's. All GW's/Cheney's policy did was cost the USA thousands of military lives, billions in treasure and they grew Islamic terror by leaps and bounds!

The freedom to discriminate is essential to personal Liberty. Life in a free country is about being free to make choices based on your own criteria rather then one mandate by the government...Libertarian blogger

Maybe you could explain to us what invading Iraq had to do with the attack on the Twin Towers? I seem to remember the GW Administration selling the American pblic on some faulty intelligence about WMD's. All GW's/Cheney's policy did was cost the USA thousands of military lives, billions in treasure and they grew Islamic terror by leaps and bounds!

We all know the reasons that that Iraq was invaded. To quote Hillary "What difference does it make at this point anyway?"

We killed the dictator and many other bad guys while we were there. We may have gotten bad intelligence... But, that's a good reason to not cut funds from defense. (Like our current regime wants to do at every turn). Instead of cutting back on our intel... We should ramp it up... Same with defense. Hell we can't even stop a few college dropouts or protesters upset by videos...